Business Hall of Fame recognizes four people

Cape Breton Post

Published: May 05, 2013 at midnight

Updated: Oct 02, 2017 at 11:51 a.m.

SYDNEY — What do an arts administrator, lawyer, pharmacist and corporate leader all have in common?

They are this year’s entrants into the Cape Breton Business Hall of Fame, an initiative of the Sydney and Area Chamber of Commerce and Cape Breton University to celebrate those who have contributed to Cape Breton's business community.

This year’s inductees include Carol Beaton, Donald Morrison, Robert Sampson and Annette Verschuren. They will be honoured at a ceremony at the Membertou Trade and Convention Centre on Wednesday, May 22 at 7 p.m.

Money raised at the event will go toward scholarships and bursaries for business students attending Cape Breton University.

“I was completely overwhelmed when I got the call which was wonderful,” said Carol Beaton.

Beaton has served as executive director of the Cape Breton Centre for Craft and Design for the past 14 years where she oversees the day-to-day operations. She currently serves on the boards of Craft Alliance, Alliance métiers d’arts, Destination Cape Breton Association and Celtic Heart of North America.

“Personally, I was extremely honoured, overwhelmed and taken back because I certainly hadn't expected it but when I came back and reflected and took stock, I really think it's an honour for the cultural industries as well.”

“It's hard to know how to react because these sorts of things don't usually happen to me,” said Donald Morrison. “It's nice to see a private business be recognized.”

Morrison is the owner-operator of a group of five Pharmasave stores, based out of New Waterford that also includes Whitney Pier, Charlotte Street in Sydney, Membertou and the Health Park store at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital.

He has been a pharmacist/pharmacy owner for more than 30 years and has been recognized by his peers with the Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Bowl of Hygeia Award from the Nova Scotia College of Pharmacists for outstanding community service in 2010.

“Lot of hours but I still enjoy coming to work so that's good after 36 years,” said Morrison. “We adapt to the communities that we're in — that's how we've managed to stay viable. We're a part of the community and we try to provide excellent service to our customers.”

“It's very humbling,” was lawyer Robert Sampson’s reaction to the news.

He is a founding member of Cape Breton law firm Sampson McDougall, which was established to take on larger cases and work because it would have enough lawyers on staff to be able to do so.

A lawyer for more than 25 years with experience in corporate law, estate planning and real estate law, he has also been involved in a number of organizations including the chairmanship of the Celtic Colours International Festival and president of Ben Eoin Marina Ltd.

He said he’s always being financially oriented, starting his own submarine sandwich chain while still in university and always being the kid in the neighbourhood who shovelled driveways and mowed lawns for cash.

“The whole business strategy was to create a law firm that was big enough and seasoned enough so that there would be no justification for banks and corporate clients in Sydney to go out of Sydney,” Sampson said.

“Today, the hospital work is done here, the school board work is done here and most of the university's work is done here. Not all by us but by local lawyers — we didn't take away from local lawyers — we grew the firm to retain business that would have normally gone off-island and to provide an opportunity for young lawyers to come home and practise.”

She may be known across Canada for her business acumen, but Annette Verschuren believes the most important honours come from home.

The former president of Home Depot Canada and Asia, she began her career as a development officer with the Cape Breton Development Corp. and has been involved with major corporations ever since.

“I am absolutely humbled and honoured,” said Verschuren in a telephone interview from Toronto.

“When you’re recognized by the community you're from, there's something special about that. I left when I was 30 but I always came back, whether it was to built a Home Depot store or to be part of Verschuren Centre for Sustainability or to be the chancellor of Cape Breton University.”

The current chair and CEO of NRstor Inc., a venture focused on commercializing energy storage technologies, she has every intention of attending this year’s event in Sydney.

“It's important to give back,” Verschuren said.

“I'm one of those people who never forgot where they came from and my family is very important to me. My mom and dad are no longer alive but my sister and brothers all live in Cape Breton so that draws me enormously to come back. So to be honoured in front of them and the community is pretty special.”